


Aspen Ridge

by BeccaAnne814



Series: Marvelous Men of Montana Saga [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Divorce, F/M, Fluff, PG-13 sexual situations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-08 12:24:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15930380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaAnne814/pseuds/BeccaAnne814
Summary: You and Tony were college sweethearts and everyone thought you'd always be together.  You gave up your career to help him follow his and raise your two adopted daughters, but once they left home, you realized that you and Tony had grown apart.  Now you're back in town for your daughter's wedding and the romantic atmosphere has you wondering if maybe there's still a chance for your happily ever after.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> _This is the fifth and final installment of the Marvelous Men of Montana Saga!  If you've already read Wolf Creek, South Hills, Thousand Oaks, and Blackwater Falls, thank you!  If not, you'll still be able to somewhat follow along with this story, but I highly recommend reading the first four parts before reading this one.  Now that Blackwater Falls is over, the Reader from that story will go back to her original name of Nina.  Nina means priceless one, which I thought was appropriate since throughout that story she was on a journey to rediscover her own self-worth. There's no mystery as to who Tony's love interest will be, but I'm doing something a bit different with this story than I have with the others. Since there's so much history between Tony and his ex-wife, I thought it would be nice to relive moments in their lives through flashbacks. They will not be in chronological order since that would take the fun out it for me, so I hope you guys enjoy!_
> 
>  
> 
>  **Parts in italics are Flashbacks**
> 
>  
> 
> __

The light from the windows in her corner office seemed to shine a little more brightly on the unusually warm Autumn afternoon.  Just the week before Missoula had gotten its first snow of the season – a whopping six inches of wet, heavy flakes that had snarled traffic, but still managed to put a smile on her face.  When she'd walked out of her condo this morning, she'd been bundled up in her long wool coat, but had realized even before she made it halfway to where her car was parked in its spot in front of her unit that she wouldn't be needing the heavy outerwear that day.

There was something about warm days in the fall that rejuvenated her, and she found that she was eager to get to work and put the finishing touches on the architectural model she'd been working on for the past few weeks.  Coulson, Fury & Stark had landed a huge account about a month ago and Phil had hyped up her work with the foreign investors and now she was the lead architect on this project.  Their clients were interested in creating an all-inclusive resort outside of Great Falls near the Lewis and Clark National Forest that was both modern but still retained an air of the Rocky Mountain charm.  She and Phil had personally taken the small group of men and women to the Bluestone Resort that YN had designed a few years ago, and they'd taken one look at the rustic cabin-esque lodge and hired them on the spot.

Now YN was tasked with creating another resort that brought in some of the appeal from Bluestone, but was completely different from her earlier design.  The investors wanted their resort to have every amenity a guest could possibly want.  The list of requirements included five different restaurants that ranged from local dishes to more gourmet meals, an entire section of the main lodge that would essentially be a ten-store mall with a small bar and grill for those that wanted a lighter mid-day meal than the restaurants offered, three different nightclubs, a casino, a library, a movie theater, and an internet-slash-coffee bar for the teenagers.  The resort would basically be a tiny city that would essentially keep the guests completely isolated on the property while still allowing them to explore the scenic grandeur of Western Montana.

YN had grown up playing with various types of blocks.  From Lincoln Logs to Legos, she'd been captivated by building elaborate designs from a young age.  When it had come time for her to choose a career field, architecture had been the natural choice.  She was gifted with the ability to not only see a potential building in her mind's eye, but also to be able to recreate that vision down to the smallest detail in real life.  Her models may have been over the top at times, but when she saw the look of wonder and delight on the faces of her clients, she knew all the hours of hard work were well spent.

It was because of her talent, and her affable personality, that clients continued to come back to the firm and to recommend them to their friends.  These qualities were also the reason she'd been asked to rejoin the firm years ago when one of the former senior partners had left.  Alexander Pierce had never been one of her favorite people and she hadn't been shocked to learn that he'd been caught embezzling from the firm and had been forced to not only resign, but to serve a few years in prison for his crimes.  Phil and Nick had been humiliated and knew they needed YN to come back in order to salvage what was left of the firm's reputation.

She glued down the last tiny tree to the tag board that held her completed design and rose from her seat to walk to the wall of windows that took up two sides of her office.  YN always liked to take a few minutes to step away from her project before she turned around to see it in its completed form.  There was something magical about a finished model that gave her a sense of awe when she looked at it from the perspective of a client.

Taking a deep breath, she gazed out at the expansive view that had been gifted to her once she'd been named a senior partner in the firm.  On one side of her office, she could see the Clark Fork River where it snaked through the center of the city, and on the other side was the imposing heights of the Blue Mountain.  That's what she loved the most about Missoula – the juxtaposition of rugged terrain and metropolitan city.  

She took one last breath and turned around to see her creation in its final form.  Just as she'd imagined, it was a work of beauty.  It may have sounded haughty to some, but she refused to downplay her own talent, especially because she was a woman working in a male-dominated world.  The men in her field were expected to be conceited, but for some reason the women were chastised if they appeared anything but humble when praised for their work.  She'd never apologized for her attitude in all the years she'd been doing this job, and she wasn't about to start anytime soon.

A light knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts, and when she saw who was standing at the threshold, a beaming smile spread across her face.

Rushing forward she wrapped her arms around her youngest daughter.  "Wanda, darling, what are you doing here?  I would have thought you'd still be home recovering from jet lag."

Wanda returned YN's embrace as she reveled in the feeling of comfort that always settled over her when she was in her mother's presence.  "It's been two weeks since I've seen you and I wanted to tell you all about our trip."

YN pulled away and brushed a hand down Wanda's long brunette hair.  "I'm always glad to see you, darling."  She paused and looked down at the watch on her wrist.  "Let me grab my bag and we'll go out for lunch so you can tell me about your grand adventure."

Wanda smiled as she began to play with the ring on her finger.  She'd always worn a multitude of rings, but this newest one was by far her favorite and she couldn't wait to show it off to her mother.  

Once YN had grabbed her purse, she looped an arm through Wanda's and began leading her back toward the main lobby.  She paused at Phil's office and rapped lightly on the doorframe.

"The model's finished if you want to go take a look," she told him with a nod back toward her office.  "Wanda came up for a surprise visit, so I'm going to take an extra long lunch today."

Phil looked up from his computer and immediately broke out in a smile upon seeing YN's youngest daughter.  Rising from his chair, he walked over and gave her a warm hug.  "It's always a pleasure to see you, Wanda.  Did you and your boyfriend enjoy your trip to Europe?"

"It was amazing," Wanda told Phil as her face lit up.

"Good," Phil said before turning to YN.  "Why don't you just take the rest of the day off?  You've been working late the past few days getting the model ready – you've earned an afternoon off, especially on a day like this."

"What's this I hear about people slacking on the job?" a deep booming voice asked from around the corner.

"Phil said I could go," YN teased as Nick appeared with a mock scowl on his face.

Nick's fierce demeanor faded in an instant and was replaced with a warm smile once he spotted Wanda.  "You're a bad influence on your mother, you know that, right?"

"I try," Wanda said with a half shrug before giving Nick a hug hello.

"You two enjoy your day," Nick said as he shooed them down the hall.  "Phil and I will do our best to keep the firm running while you're gone."

YN shook her head and laughed.  She was so lucky to work with such amazing men that not only valued her talent, but saw her as a friend as well.

She led Wanda out of the firm and down the street toward their favorite café.  Hob Nob was a little hole-in-the-wall on South Higgins Avenue that served an eclectic mix of breakfast and lunch dishes.  She and Wanda preferred to eat there because it was quick and the food quality was superb.  Once they'd placed their orders, they took a seat on the stools at the bar that ran along the right side of the café.  YN had proposed getting their lunch to go and taking it to Caras Park since it was so nice outside.

It was a short walk across the bridge that spanned the Clark Fork River to the park, but neither woman was in a hurry to get there since they were content to enjoy one another's company.  Wanda had already started to tell her mother about her trip to England with Vis, and YN was eager to learn more about her daughter's time in Europe.

"Vis' grandparents are the absolute sweetest," Wanda exclaimed as she and YN found an empty bench along the river to sit and eat their lunch.  "Edwin and Ana Jarvis are his mother's parents, but you'd swear that Vis and his grandfather were the same person."

"Is that where his name comes from?" YN asked.  When Wanda gave her a confused look, she explained further.  "His grandfather's last name is Jarvis, and his name is Vis.  I just thought it might be connected."

Wanda's eyes grew large in wonder.  "You know, I didn't even think of that.  I'll have to ask him once I get back home, but I bet you're right."

"So, tell me more about the places you visited.  Didn't you just love the different styles of architecture in that part of the world?"

"Only you would think about architecture," Wanda said as she shook her head and laughed.  "There were some beautiful old churches that you would've adored – I even told Vis that you'd love them."

"What was your favorite part of the trip?"

Wanda considered her next words carefully.  "I'd have to say it was our trip to Glasgow."

"I didn't know you were going to Scotland on this trip."

"I didn't either," Wanda said with a laugh of wonder.  "Vis surprised me about a week into our vacation." She paused and took a deep breath.  She knew her mother loved Vis, so it wasn't the thought of her mother's disapproval that had her nervous – it was just the realization that once she told her mom, it would finally be real to her.

Holding out her left hand, Wanda all but squealed as she said, "Vis proposed."

YN's hands flew to her mouth to contain her surprise.  Tears welled up in her eyes as happiness began to overwhelm her.  She'd known from the moment she'd seen the light in Wanda's eyes when she talked about her new boyfriend that he was the one, and she was overjoyed to discover that he was just as wonderful as her daughter proclaimed.

"Oh, honey, I'm so happy for you," YN finally said as she wrapped her arms around Wanda and squeezed her as tightly as she could.  

Pulling back, she took Wanda's hand in her own to examine the ring.  It wasn't the traditional diamond solitaire that most people associated with an engagement ring, but it was perfect for Wanda.  The ring itself was made out of black gold and was intricately carved with a scrolling design that gave it a romantic flare.  The center stone was a deep red ruby that was offset with two small diamonds that sat perpendicular on either side of the main stone.

"This is absolutely gorgeous, honey," YN said as she twisted Wanda's hand so the ruby could catch the light.  "How did I not notice this right away?"

"Because it's not flashy," Wanda said with a sigh.  "It's the perfect ring for me."

"And Vis is the perfect guy for you," YN added with a wink.  "Have you two set a date yet?"

"We talked about it the entire flight back home.  Obviously, I want to get married at Bluestone, and Vis thinks that's a wonderful idea.  It was the place where we had our first unofficial date after all."

"I remember that day," YN said with a knowing smile.  "Maria, Kieran, and you took him and Scott up there for lunch right after they'd moved to Thousand Oaks.  You called me that evening and told me you'd met the man of your dreams.  It's fitting that the two of you should start the next part of your life in the same place you started the first."

"I knew you'd get it," Wanda said as she leaned over and gave her mother a hug.  "We're thinking sometime in the Spring, hopefully after the last snowfall when everything is starting to come back to life."

YN nodded her head.  "Okay, that gives us about six months to get this whole thing planned.  Have you told your sister yet?"

Wanda shook her head.  "I wanted you to be the first to know.  I'll tell Dad and Nat tonight when I meet them for dinner at Pies and Pints."

"You're going to tell your father that you're getting married in the same room as Wade?" YN asked with a worried look on her face.  "You know how much he hates Nat's boyfriend."

"Yes," Wanda agreed with a shake of her head.  "But he adores Vis, so our engagement will put him in a good mood and he won't be so grouchy."

"Your father is always grouchy, sweetie."

"Mother," Wanda said as her voice took on a chastising tone.

YN held up her hands.  "I'm just speaking the truth.  I lived with that man for far longer than you've been alive.  I know things about him that would make your toes curl."

Wanda laughed because she knew that's what her mother expected, but deep down she wondered if her mom ever missed the man she'd once vowed to love forever.  A feeling of sadness washed over her as she remembered how hard life had been when her parents had split up.  Mentally shaking her head, she pushed those feelings aside and focused on her forthcoming wedding.

 

As she removed the half dozen decorative pillows and turned down the covers on her bed that night, YN thought back on the lovely afternoon she'd spent with Wanda.  She was so happy that her daughter had found someone that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, and equally happy that he was a man that she'd come to love over the past year as well.  Vis and Wanda had the kind of love that would stand the test of time, and while they'd endure the hardships all married couples faced, YN was sure that they would work through them together and be stronger for it.

With a smile on her face, she recalled Wanda's description of Vis' proposal. He'd taken her to eat at a restaurant called Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery.  YN had been skeptical at first, but Wanda assured her that it was very nice with tartan décor and linen tablecloths.  Once they'd finished eating, the roamed the streets until they wondered down near the River Clyde.  With the moon reflecting off the water of the river, Vis had dropped to one knee and asked Wanda to be his wife.  When Wanda told the story, it was impossible not to get caught up in the romance of it all.

Snuggling deep within her blankets, she thought back to her own marriage proposal years before.  It was somewhat similar to Wanda's but at the same time uniquely different.

 

_"Are you sure we're not overdressed for dinner with your parents?" YN asked her boyfriend as he pulled onto the gravel drive that led to his parent's ranch in Thousand Oaks._

_"You look amazing," Tony assured her as he reached for her hand and brought it to his lips.  "You could be dressed in sackcloth and they'd both still adore you.  Sometimes I think they like you more than me."_

_YN considered his words.  "Yeah, you're probably right." When Tony gave her a disbelieving look, she began to laugh.  "Okay, so maybe not your mom, but your dad definitely likes me more than you."_

_Tony shook his head in disgust.  "Howard likes everyone more than he likes me."_

_"That's not true," YN said, trying to reassure her boyfriend.  "He loves you in his own way."_

_"You mean he loves me when he gets his way," Tony corrected as he rolled his eyes._

_Realizing that she'd never convince Tony that Howard truly was proud of his son, she changed the subject.  "You never did tell me why we were coming down here for dinner tonight."_

_"No reason."_

_"Anthony Edward Stark, you have a reason for every single decision you make."_

_He gave her a cocky wink.  "You know me too well, dear."_

_"Don't 'dear' me."_

_He pulled up in front of the house and turned off the car before leaning over and capturing her lips with his.  They'd been dating for the past two years, but he never grew tired of kissing her.  The little catch of breath she took just before he deepened the kiss always drove him right to the edge._

_She could have gone on kissing him all night, but she knew his parents had heard the car coming down the drive and would eventually come out to check on them.  The last thing she wanted was for Howard and Maria to catch her and Tony in a risqué position – which was bound to happen if they continued down the road they were heading._

_Reluctantly pulling away from him, she placed a hand on his chest and gently shoved him back to his side of the car.  "Hold that thought until after dinner."_

_Without giving him a chance to reply, she opened the door and slipped out of the car.  She'd been distracted by him too many times before to trust that he wouldn't try to continue their tryst even with the threat of being caught by his parents.  Heading straight for the front porch, she turned and looked over her shoulder to make sure he was following behind her.  The sight of him exiting the car in his new Tom Ford suit took her breath away.  He'd bought the suit right after he'd been hired by the most prestigious law firm in Missoula, Ross and Ross.  The first time she'd seen him in it, she'd immediately rethought her negative position on tailor-made suits as a waste of money._

_Walking through the front door, they were immediately greeted by Tony's parents, so it took a few minutes before YN realized that the dining room table wasn't set for dinner.  Taking a closer look around, she realized that Howard and Maria both had their coats laying out on the bench by the door.  With a look of confusion on her face, she turned to Tony._

_"Thanks again, Mom," Tony said as he gave his mother another hug before ushering them out the door and closing it behind them._

_"Where are your parents going?" YN asked as a nervous feeling settled in the pit of her stomach._

_"Out."_

_"I kinda figured that, genius."_

_He reached out and grabbed her hips to pull her closer to him.  "We have the house to ourselves," he whispered in her ear.  "Whaddya say we. . ."_

_"You promised me dinner," she reminded him as she stepped out of his embrace.  "You know I get cranky when I'm hungry."_

_A grin spread across his face.  "Can't have a cranky YN, can we?"_

_Taking her hand, he led her back through the house to the back door.  She was confused when he guided her across the back yard toward the barn.  She wasn't sure what he had planned, but she was positive that she wasn't dressed for whatever it was._

_Tony's favorite horse, Obadiah, was hitched to the post outside of the barn and YN looked down at the outfit she was wearing.  "You expect me to ride a horse in this dress?"_

_"You can sit in my lap," he told her as he gracefully mounted the horse and held out hand to her._

_Shaking her head, she placed the toe of one heel in the stirrup as he helped her up.  She paused for a moment before trying to straddle the horse and Tony wrapped an arm around her waist._

_"Just sit across my lap," he said as he twisted her around and lifted her into position._

_She shook her head as she wiggled her butt between his thighs and wrapped her arms around his waist.  "This has the potential to end in disaster."_

_"Don't you trust me?"_

_"With my life," she answered honestly as she gazed into his whiskey colored eyes._

_"God, I love you."_

_"I love you, too."_

_With the reins in one hand, he used his other arm to help keep her steady as he guided the horse out of the paddock and onto one of the trails branching off toward the back of the property.  She was pretty sure where he was taking her, and a part of her wondered if he was going to do what she'd been hoping he'd do for the past year.  She tried not to get her hopes up and instead focused on the way the late evening sun gave the somewhat familiar landscape an ethereal glow._

_Coming to the ridge that had given Howard the idea for the ranch's name, Tony halted the horse and helped her down before dismounting and tying Obadiah's reins to a tree branch.  The sun was slowly edging toward the horizon, but it wasn't the scenic beauty that had caught her eye – it was the small bistro table and chairs that sat in the clearing._

_"Dinner, m'lady?"_

_With a huge smile on her face, she gave Tony a quick kiss before grabbing his hand and dragging him over to the already-set table.  He held out her chair and waited until she'd sat before pulling a lighter from his pocket and lighting the candle in the middle of the table._

_Tony had planned this whole set-up with his mother weeks ago, and he'd been surprised when his father had suggested a few details of his own.  He'd originally thought he and YN would dine picnic-style on a blanket, but Howard had insisted on bringing out the small table and chairs himself.  He'd argued that YN deserved the best, and Tony couldn't help but agree with his father._

_He reached into the picnic basket his mother had packed for him and retrieved the plastic containers of food she'd prepared herself that afternoon.  The homemade pasta was still warm when he pulled it from its thermal container and he made a mental note to thank his mother again for thinking of that particular detail._

_They ate as they talked and laughed, and Tony knew in that moment that he'd made the right decision.  Not too many women would have been willing to go off on a backcountry adventure in a little black dress and heels, but YN barely batted an eye before throwing caution to the wind and hopping on a horse with him.  How he'd managed to find the perfect woman was still a mystery to him, but he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with._

_When the setting sun turned the wide Montana sky every shade of pink and orange imaginable, he knew it was time.  Reaching into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, he pulled out the ring his mother had given him when he'd told his parents that he wanted to propose to YN.  It had been in his mother's family for generations, and while it was an antique, it had a classic design that belied its age._

_"YN YLN," he began as he dropped to one knee beside her.  "I knew the moment I met you that you were going to change my life.  It took you a little longer to figure it out, but the day you finally decided to give me a chance was the happiest day of my life.  I want to wake up every morning with you by my side because every day with you is the happiest day of my life."  He paused for a moment – for dramatic effect of course – before he asked the question that would decide his future.  "Will you marry me?"_

_YN began nodding her head since the tears of happiness she was shedding had rendered her momentarily speechless.  As he began to slip the diamond solitaire onto her finger, she finally found her voice again.  "Yes, I'll marry you."_

_He rose and pulled her to her feet so he could properly kiss her.  He'd known she would say yes because he knew she loved him just as much, if not more, than him, but there was still a worrying thought in the back of his mind that she might have said no.  Now that she was wearing his mother's family ring and was crying tears of joy, the stress he'd been feeling for the past few days melted away beneath her touch._

 

A smile spread across YN's face as she remembered how she and Tony had spent the rest of that evening on the ridge.  That was the one thing she'd loved the most about Tony – his spontaneity.  He had a way of making her forget about anything and everything but him, and it didn't hurt that he knew exactly how to make her breathless with desire with just one touch.

A slow ache began to spread throughout her body, reminding her that it had been years since anyone had touched her, and for a moment she questioned her decision to leave her life in Thousand Oaks behind to chase her dreams of being an architect.

She was brought out of her melancholy thoughts by the ringing of her cell phone.  Shaking her head, she reached over to the nightstand to retrieve it.  Glancing down at the readout on the screen, she let out a little laugh before accepting the call.

"Hello, Tony."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**Parts in Italics are Flashbacks**_

"You weren't asleep were you?" Tony asked when he heard the breathlessness in YN's voice.

"Not yet," she admitted as she burrowed back down into the covers. "I guess Wanda told you the good news."

"She did," Tony said as he tried to imagine what YN was doing. It had been a while since he'd last spoken to her, and since their divorce he'd begun to lapse back into envisioning her as she'd once looked back in college. It wasn't that she'd grown unattractive over the years, but it was because their conversations of late seemed to be by telephone. They'd spent the first few months of their courtship talking to one another on the phone until the wee hours of the morning, so he was reminded of those happier times whenever he spoke to her and his mind automatically saw her as that young, carefree woman that had been madly in love with him.

"How did Nat take it? I've been expecting her to call all evening. . ."

"She and Wilson went out after dinner," Tony interrupted.

"His name is Wade," YN reminded Tony. "It gets confusing when you call him Wilson. Makes me think she's out with Sam."

"I'd rather she was out with Sam," Tony lamented. "At least that man has a decent head on his shoulders."

"He's also a married man now," YN said with a huff. "And I thought you liked Teaghan?"

"I adore Teaghan. Sam couldn't have found a lovelier woman to marry. Well, other than Nat. To be honest, I'd rather see her with any of the other guys than him."

YN rolled her eyes, thankful that Tony wasn't there to see the gesture. "She's always been headstrong. I wonder where she gets that from?"

"She was headstrong the day we brought her home if you remember."

YN thought back to the stoic little redhead they'd adopted so many years ago. That little girl had seen so much in her four short years on earth, and she'd had the haunted eyes to prove it. Wanda had immediately warmed up to her and Tony, but it had taken years for Nat to learn to trust them.

"She was," YN conceded before adding, "but living with you only made her worse."

"Thank God Wanda turned out okay."

"Nat is perfect just the way she is," YN said, immediately coming to the defense of her eldest daughter. "I know you had plans for her to go to law school and take over your practice one day, but she's doing extremely well at the ranch. To be honest, I don't think Peter could run that place without her. She has a great head on her shoulders, she just didn't want to follow in your footsteps. Sound familiar?"

"Touché." Tony bristled at the subtle reminder of his father. Howard had always pushed Tony to be a carbon copy of himself, and Tony had always resented him for it. Taking a deep breath, he realized just how much he sounded like his dad when he talked about Nat's wasted potential. He'd have to remind himself to tell her how proud he was of her the next time he saw her. He'd never forgive himself if she ever felt the same way about him as he'd felt about his own father.

"So, back to Wanda," YN said as she steered the conversation back to the original reason Tony had called. "What do you think about her and Vis getting married."

"About that," Tony began.

"What aren't you telling me?" YN asked as she recognized the guilty tone of his voice.

"Vis actually asked me for permission to propose to Wanda a few months ago," he admitted.

"And you didn't tell me?"

"He wanted to wait until their trip to Europe and I knew if I told you, you'd never be able to keep it to yourself," Tony explained.

YN considered Tony's words and begrudgingly admitted that he was right – she would have been bursting with joy and would have never been able to keep it to herself for so long. "You're right."

"I know."

"Oh, shut up," she chided. "Why didn't you give him your family's ring?"

"He was actually picking out the ring when he told me what he was planning."

"And you just happened to be in the jewelry store at the same time as him?" YN asked, completely confused.

"I went there to help Bucky pick out a ring for Kieran. Vis had wandered down to the colored stones and asked my opinion on what Wanda would like best."

"I see," she said with a nod of understanding that she forgot he couldn't see. "Well, you two did a great job – that ring is perfect for her."

"I know, right? Plus, I always thought I'd give the heirloom ring to Nat when she was ready to get married."

"Even if it turns out to be Wade?"

Tony grumbled for a few moments before answering. "Even if it turns out to be Wade."

"I'll be honest, Tony, I don't think Nat will ever settle down and get married."

"I don't either," he agreed. "I just want her to be happy."

"We both do."

There was a lull in the conversation as they both realized that they'd exhausted every topic of conversation concerning the kids and now neither of them knew what to say next. It had been like this for years, and neither of them had been able to figure out how to talk to the other. Their divorce hadn't been nasty, it had just been sad and exhausting. Maybe if they'd grown to hate one another it would have made things a bit easier on both of them.

 

_"Natalia. Wanda." YN had decided that she should be the one to tell the girls that she and their father were getting a divorce, but now that the time had come she was unsure of where to begin._

_"This can't be good," Nat said to Wanda as she nudged her sister with her elbows. "Mom only calls me Natalia when I'm in trouble."_

_"You're not in trouble, sweetie," Tony said as he looked to YN to back him up._

_"Your father's right, Nat," YN said with a sad smile._

_"Who died?" Wanda asked, immediately going to the worst case scenario._

_"No one died, honey," YN assured her with a sigh. Her youngest daughter was still so traumatized from losing her entire family in Sokovia when she'd only been three years old, and YN worried about how she was going to take the news that the one constant in her life was now falling apart as well. "Your father and I are getting a divorce."_

_"What the hell?" Nat asked as she jumped to her feet, her face red with anger._

_"Natalia," Tony chided. "Watch your mouth around your mother."_

_"Why do you care?" Nat fired back at him. "You obviously don't love her anymore, so why does it matter if I cuss around her?"_

_"It's not like that, Nat," YN said as she rose and walked over to her eldest daughter. "Please sit down so we can explain."_

_"Is it because of us?" Wanda whispered once Nat had sat back down on the loveseat._

_"Absolutely not," Tony said, immediately trying to wipe that thought from her head. "This is between me and your mother, and it has nothing to do with you two."_

_"Of course it does," Nat fired back at him. "In case you've forgotten, we're supposed to be a family – what affects one of us affects all of us. Isn't that what you've always drilled into our heads?"_

_YN buried her face in her hands. She'd known that this conversation was going to be difficult, but she hadn't truly prepared herself for the reality of the situation._

_"We don't expect you girls to understand. . ." YN began before Nat interrupted her again._

_"Then explain it to us," Nat demanded as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her parents. "We're not children anymore."_

_"No you're not," Tony said with a hard look at Nat. "You're both young adults that are getting ready to go off to college. Now why don't you start acting like it."_

_Nat's expression turned hard for a moment before she realized that her father was right. She was acting like a child and it was time to stop. She'd allowed herself to grow complacent in the years she'd lived in America, but maybe it was time to remember where she truly came from. She'd witnessed countless atrocities in her few short years in Russia, but those memories had been burned into her memory. As a child, she'd been forced to deal with harsh realities and she'd handled them better than she was handling her parents' news now. She would do well to remember that nothing was permanent – nothing in life was guaranteed._

_"So, you two don't love each other anymore?" Nat asked once her mask of indifference was safely in place. "Did you ever love one another?"_

_YN saw the change in Nat's demeanor instantly and couldn't help but blame herself. She was no longer looking at the carefree young woman that had been so excited to go off to college in a few weeks. Now she was looking into the eyes of that four year old little girl that had refused to let her circumstances break her._

_"It's more complicated than that," YN tried to explain._

_"Will you please just tell us what's going on?" Wanda pleaded as tears began to well up in her eyes._

_"Your mother got a job offer," Tony finally said with a dejected sigh._

_"That's great," Nat said. "But what does that have to do with anything?"_

_"Coulson, Fury & Pierce offered me my old job," YN began to explain. "Well, I guess it's just Coulson and Fury now. Anyway, they heard about the Bluestone Resort and realized that I was ready to get back into the business so they reached out."_

_"They're based in Missoula, aren't they?" Wanda asked. "Why can't you just commute?"_

_Anger washed over YN. Tony had asked her the same question a few weeks ago when Phil had called with the job offer. She'd quickly reminded him that they'd made a deal to move back to Missoula after the girls graduated high school. Moving to Thousand Oaks to raise the girls had been Tony's idea, and YN had only gone along with it because she'd been assured that it was only going to be temporary. When she realized that Tony had no intention of living up to his end of the bargain, she'd finally admitted to herself that he wasn't the man she'd married anymore._

_Living in Thousand Oaks had turned him into a version of his father that even she could barely stand to be around. His arrogant attitude had worsened with each passing year, and as they fought and argued over her taking the job, she finally realized that the two of them hadn't truly talked about anything of importance for years. Their lives had been so centered around the girls that they'd forgotten about one another. They'd both changed as the years trickled by, but instead of growing closer to one another, they'd been steadily growing apart. She couldn't even remember the last time they'd made love, and that's when she knew it was over._

_"You know how hard I had to work on the resort a few years ago," YN reminded Wanda once she'd gotten her anger under control. "I'll be working extremely long hours as I earn my way back to my previous position within the firm, so it won't be practical for me to come back here every night."_

_"Then why don't you move to Missoula?" Nat asked Tony. "Your practice isn't as demanding as mom's new job will be."_

_"Your father and I have decided that we need some time apart," YN said, saving Tony from having to explain why he refused to leave Thousand Oaks._

_Nat gave them a disbelieving look. "Okay, then do a trial separation. There's no reason to jump straight into a divorce."_

_"It's not that simple, honey," Tony said with an exasperated sigh. "Your mother and I both want different things right now and it would only be postponing the inevitable if we try to stay together during all of this."_

_"Is there another woman?" Nat asked as she ignored the hiss of indignation Wanda let out beside her._

_"God no," Tony said, offended that his daughter would ever think he'd cheat on her mother._

_"So, I was right," Nat said with a shake of her head. "You two don't love each other anymore. Why can't you just be honest about it?"_

_YN and Tony looked at each other as the truth finally hit them. Neither one of them had been willing to say the words, but Nat was right – they'd fallen out of love years ago but had only become aware of it recently._

_"Fine," YN conceded. "We're not in love anymore, and it's time we both got on with our lives. You two are all grown up and ready to leave home, so it's not like things were going to stay the same forever. It'll be easier for all of us to take these next steps at the same time."_

_"Easy for you, maybe," Wanda said as the dam within her broke and she rushed out of the room in tears._

_YN jumped up to follow her, but Nat stopped her._

_"I've got this," she snapped at her mother._

_"Nat. . ."_

_"I've been taking care of Wanda longer than you have," Nat reminded her mother. "She won't want to see either of you for a while anyway."_

_Realizing that Nat was right, YN sat back down and buried her face in her hands again. Nat had taken Wanda under her wing in the orphanage, and had continued to protect the younger girl ever since. YN had never wanted to admit that she was jealous of the relationship her daughters shared, but right now there was no denying it._

_Tony reached over to lay a hand on YN's shoulder but she recoiled from his touch. "Don't."_

_"YN. . ."_

_"I can't do this again, Tony," she said as she rose from the couch._

_"This isn't what I want," he reminded her._

_"And you think it's what I want?"_

_"You're the one that's leaving," he spat out in anger._

_"Because you refuse to come with me like you promised," she shot back at him before raising a hand in the air. "Enough. We've been over this a thousand times, and one more argument isn't going to change anything." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Letting it out, she looked at the man she thought she'd spend the rest of her life with. "I have to do this for me. You have purpose in your life, but once those girls go off to college, I won't. I put everything on hold when we adopted them, and I don't regret that for a second, but they don't need me anymore and I need something meaningful in my life."_

_"And I don't fit the bill anymore?"_

_"When are you going to realize that our marriage has been over for years?"_

_"You keep saying that."_

_"Because it's true." A feeling of exhaustion fell over her and all she wanted to do was go lie down and sleep for a week. "You never look at me anymore, and you sure as hell don't ever touch me. Was Nat right? Is there someone else?"_

_YN couldn't believe she'd asked the question that had been burning a hole in the back of her mind for a while now, but once Nat had voiced it, she couldn't ignore her suspicions any longer. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know if her husband had another woman on the side, but there was no turning back now._

_Tony reached out to cup her face, but remembering her earlier reaction to his touch, he dropped his hands. "No, YN. I swear to God there's no one else."_

_Looking into his eyes, YN knew he was telling the truth. It should have been comforting to know that he hadn't gone elsewhere for affection, but somehow it hurt even more knowing that he'd just lost interest in her altogether._

_"I'm going to sleep in the guest room until the girls leave," she told him as she started to leave the room. "Once they're gone, I'll move into my new apartment."_

_Tony didn't know what to say. He hadn't realized that she'd already found a place to live in Missoula. He knew he shouldn't be surprised, but until that moment none of it had been real to him. Now he knew for sure that he'd just lost what had once been the most important thing in his life. He kept expecting to feel something, but at the moment he was just too numb to feel anything._

 

"So," Tony said as he tried to think of something else to talk about. "How's work?"

He immediately regretted his question. Every time YN started talking about her newest project, he realized just how happy she was without him, and it hurt. It hurt to know that she had moved on with her life, but he was still stuck in the same place he'd been when she'd left. It had only take a few months for Tony to realize that he'd made the biggest mistake of his life, but he'd been too proud to admit to her that he'd been wrong.

That was a lie.

It hadn't been pride – it had been fear. He'd been terrified that if he showed up on her door and begged her to give him a second chance that she'd slam the door in his face. It's what he deserved, and he knew it. He'd been the one to let their marriage fall apart. He'd assumed that she'd grown to love Thousand Oaks, but he'd been wrong. She'd loved their family so she'd endured the small town life, but once she'd gotten a taste of her former life, she couldn't deny her unhappiness any longer. He'd seen the evidence of it when she'd taken on the Bluestone project, and for a while he'd convinced himself that she could still do what she loved from the ranch. Once the project was completed, however, he watched her slowly slip back into her normal routine and the smile that had been permanently etched on her face for almost a year was suddenly gone. He'd seen her slipping away from him, but he hadn't done a damn thing to stop it, and now he knew he had no one to blame but himself for the misery he lived with on a daily basis.

He listened patiently while she described the resort she was designing. The girls had told him she'd made senior partner at the firm a few years ago, and now she was the lead architect on some of the biggest projects they handled. He couldn't help the feeling of pride he had for her when she spoke of her work. At one point in their lives, they'd shared those major accomplishments together – whether it was a big case he'd been asked to sit second chair on, or her getting to add her input on the design of the newest project. 

"Tony?" YN asked for the second time. "Are you still there?"

He was brought out of his musings by her question. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked you how your practice was going."

"Oh, I guess it's doing okay," he said, not really interested in talking about himself. There wasn't much to say, and if she kept pressing, she'd soon realize just how boring his life was without her.

"That's good," she said as she glanced at the clock. "Well, I should probably get going, I have a busy day tomorrow."

"Right. I shouldn't have kept you on the phone so late. Sleep well."

"Thank you. You too."

They said their goodbyes and hung up, but YN held onto her phone for a little bit longer. She hated to admit it, but she enjoyed hearing the sound of his voice right before she went to sleep. It was times like this that she questioned whether she'd made the right decision, but then she'd remember the joy she felt every time she created a new design for a client. Her job was challenging, but rewarding. Raising the girls had also been a challenge, but once they'd started high school, they'd become pretty self-sufficient and she'd begun to feel useless. Stumbling upon the opportunity to design the Bluestone Resort had reminded her what it felt like to have meaning in her life, and once it was completed she just couldn't go back to the way things had been.

She'd tried dating in the first few years after the divorce, but the men she went out with seemed bland and uninteresting to her. Thinking that what she and Tony had shared was a once in a lifetime experience, she gave up on the prospect of finding someone else and lost herself in her career. But now she would be spending a lot more time with her ex-husband as she helped Wanda plan her wedding. It may have only been her imagination, but Tony seemed different than he'd been right before the divorce.

Shaking her head to clear her mind, she reached over to lay the phone back on the nightstand and turned off the light. She hadn't been exaggerating when she'd told him she had a busy day tomorrow. The investors were coming to look at the designs she'd created for them, and she was a bit nervous that they might not like what she'd come up. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her doubts aside and willed herself to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Thank you for reading Part 2 of this story!  So, we're already diving into the fun stuff!  Writing this part was so sad after just finishing up that amazing proposal in Part 1!  We all knew that our Reader longed for a life in the city doing what she loved, but we're still not sure why Tony chose to let her go instead of joining her in the city like he'd promised.  I guess that's a question that will need answered later on.  What do you think of their relationship now?  Do you think they still have feelings for one another? I look forward to your comments!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**Parts in Italics are Flashbacks**_

By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, winter had firmly wrapped the city in its chilly grasp. The mountains in the distance were a winter wonderland, but the city was a slushy mess as piles of dirty snow littered every street corner. YN was one of those people who could overlook the messier side of winter and instead focus on the beauty a fresh coating of snow could give the world.

Wanda had taken a few days off before Thanksgiving so she and YN could get started on the wedding plans. Nat would be joining them the day before the holiday so they could go dress shopping at Rococo Bridal. But until then it would just be YN and Wanda, and YN was secretly thrilled to get to spend so much time with Wanda by herself. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy Nat's company, but since the divorce it seemed as though the girls always visited together and YN never got a chance to spend any one-on-one time with each of them. She vowed that she would find a way to get Nat to herself at some point before the wedding so her oldest daughter didn't feel slighted.

YN was putting the final touches on dinner when the front door opened and she heard Wanda call out a greeting. Turning the burner off on the stove, she covered the skillet with the lid and quickly wiped her hands on the dish towel slung over her shoulder before rushing into the living room to say hello.

"I'm so happy you're finally here," YN said as she enveloped her daughter in a hug. "Dinner's almost ready – the veggies just need to steam a bit. Let's get you settled and then we can eat."

"Did you make that lemon chicken dish I love?" Wanda asked as she sniffed the air.

"You know I did," YN said with a wink as she grabbed Wanda's small suitcase and led her back to the guest room she normally stayed in when she came to visit overnight. "What's in the garment bag?"

Wanda looked down at the bag slung over her arm and gave her mother a sheepish look before hanging it on the hook on the back of the door. "It's a surprise for after dinner."

YN clapped her hands together in excitement. "Ooh, I love surprises. Let's go eat so you can show me what you brought."

Wanda smiled as she followed her mom back to the kitchen, but deep down she was also worried about what her reaction would be to the surprise she'd brought with her. She hoped that her mother would be okay with the decision she and Nat had made, but she'd have to wait until after they'd eaten before she found out.

As her mother stirred the mixture of lemon chicken, barley, carrots, and spinach steaming on the stove, Wanda opened the cupboard that held the plates and glassware. Grabbing a couple forks from the drawer next to the stove, she took the dishes over to the table in the corner and began arranging each place setting. 

"Did you want a glass of wine?" Wanda asked when she notice the opened bottle of wine sitting on the counter.

"I opened a dry white to breath while I cooked," YN said over her shoulder. "It should go perfectly with this, but you can pick something else if you'd like."

"The white sounds great," Wanda said as she filled the two wine glasses she'd gotten out of the cabinet while her mom took the skillet over to the table and began to dish out some of the chicken mixture on each plate.

YN took the skillet back to the stove and placed it back on the burner to keep warm in case they wanted seconds later on. Reaching into the corner cubby, she grabbed the loaf of French bread she'd bought earlier that day from one of the local bakeries.

Once everything was ready, they both sat down and began to eat. YN loved to hear the little groan of pleasure Wanda always made whenever she tasted a bite of this particular meal. 

"So, you never did tell me how you were able to get some time off this close to the holidays," YN said as they both continued to eat.

"Sam's new deputy, Dinah Madani, fell in love with Thousand Oaks and suggested that her friend Frank move out here," Wanda explained as she took a sip of her wine. "Since most of the staff was familiar with Frank's story, Peter decided to hire him on at the ranch. Between him and the other new girl, Jessica, we've got more than enough staff to cover if one or two of us need some time off."

"It's a shame what happened to Trip," YN said with a sad look as she shook her head. "How's the new deputy working out for Sam?"

"Dinah is great," Wanda said. "She was a former agent with Homeland Security, but after a really bad case, she decided to step down and look for a simpler life."

"And she chose Thousand Oaks?" 

"I know, right?" Wanda asked with a laugh. "Between Grant Ward, Brock Rumlow, and Billy Russo, we've had more than our fair share of psychopaths." She paused for a minute and weighed her next thought carefully. "Her friend Frank actually had some history with Billy Russo."

"Really?"

"I don't know all the particulars – and I probably don't want to – but Billy tried to get Frank framed for something while they were both in the Army. Nina was a major supporter of hiring Frank. I think she still feels guilty for some of the things her ex-husband did."

"She shouldn't," YN said as she laid down her fork and sat back in her chair. "But I think it's admirable that she's reaching out to other people that were victimized by that monster. It definitely speaks to her character."

Wanda let out a sigh and began to smile. "Nina is the best thing that ever happened to Peter."

"I still can't believe Peter Quill is even considering settling down with one woman."

"You and everyone else that's ever met him," Wanda said with a chuckle. "Just wait till you see them together, though. You'd swear they've known one another their entire lives."

YN grabbed their empty plates and headed to the sink while Wanda grabbed the wine glasses and topped them off. While YN rinsed the dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher, Wanda wiped down the table and the countertops. Once the kitchen was clean, they grabbed their second glasses of wine and headed toward Wanda's bedroom.

"I'm excited to see this surprise of yours," YN said as she sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Wanda to unzip the garment bag. "Is it a mother of the bride gown for me?"

"Not quite," Wanda hedged as she took a deep breath. Unzipping the bag, she pulled out the white gown and held it up for her mother to see.

"Is that. . .?"

"Your old wedding gown," Wanda finished for her with a chagrined look.

"Why do you have that old thing?"

"I was talking to Nat and I mentioned how much I loved this gown and she suggested that I wear it. . ."

"You can't be serious, darling," YN interrupted with a frown. "That dress is horribly out of style. Don't you want something more modern?"

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," Wanda said as she came and sat down beside her mother. "There are parts of this dress that I adore – the neckline is gorgeous, and I love the buttons down the back."

YN fingered the intricate filigreed beadwork across the neckline as a nostalgic smile spread across her face. "Those were some of the features that I loved the most about this gown."

"So, like I said, Nat and I were talking, and I was thinking that I might be able to take some of these pieces from your dress and have the seamstress at Rococo's create something unique for me."

"You want to cut pieces from this dress to make a new one?" YN asked, wanting to make sure she understood her daughter correctly.

"If you don't want me to, I completely understand," Wanda quickly assured her. "I just thought it would be nice to have a little bit of your gown incorporated into mine. It could be my something old."

"And Nat is okay with this?"

Wanda gave her a knowing smile. "We both know this gown is definitely not her style."

YN started laughing. "Can you even picture her wearing this?"

"No," Wanda exclaimed as a fit of laughter had her doubling over. "She would look so ridiculous."

"I'd pay good money to see it, though."

"You and me both," Wanda agreed as she got herself back under control. "But anyway, she's the one who suggested the idea for me to use your gown as the basis for mine."

"If that's truly what you want, then I'm all for it," YN said with a shake of her head. "Lord knows this old thing is just collecting dust in your father's attic. It'll be nice to give it a new life."

Wanda's face broke out in a huge smile. "That's what I was thinking." She looked down at the gown in her lap again before adding, "But these sleeves have got to go."

YN burst out laughing. "Absolutely. I can't believe I actually thought this was the height of fashion once upon a time."

 

YN and Wanda had sat on the couch in the living room with Wanda's tablet as they poured over pictures of wedding dresses Wanda had found online. Between the two of them, they'd been able to narrow down the options and after a foray into the land of Photoshop, Wanda had created a piecemeal design of what she was looking for in a dress. YN had joked that they'd created the bride of Frankenstein, but Wanda had just laughed and assured her mother that she knew exactly what she was doing.

Once the two women had retired for the night, YN couldn't stop her mind from wandering down memory lane again. For some reason, she'd been reliving old memories for the past few weeks and it was starting to make her nostalgic for the life she'd left behind years ago.

 

_"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight, Mrs. Stark?" Tony whispered in YN's ear as he led her around the dance floor for their first dance as a married couple._

_"Why, no, Mr. Stark, you haven't," she teased as she gazed lovingly into his mesmerizing whiskey colored eyes._

_"I'm the luckiest guy in the world. Seeing you walk down that aisle looking like something straight out of a dream. . .I wanted to fall down on my knees and weep right there."_

_"Tony, stop it," she said as she playfully swatted him._

_"I'm serious," he told her as he reached up and grasped her chin to focus her gaze on him. "You are an absolute vision in this dress."_

_"You really like it?" she asked as she looked down at the gown she'd spent weeks searching for. "It's not too much is it?"_

_"It's perfect. Just like you."_

_A slow smile spread across her face. "I love you, Anthony Edward Stark."_

_"And I love you, Mrs. Anthony Edward Stark."_

_Her smile quickly morphed into a hard line as she glared at him. "I may be taking your last name, mister, but I refuse to be one of those women who cease to become a person and is only known by their husband's name."_

_He began to chuckle. "I know, dear. I was only teasing."_

_"I enjoy a little teasing as much as the next girl," she whispered. "But I prefer the kind that happens behind closed doors when none of our closest friends and family are watching."_

_"Ah, I see. You're ready to skip the party and head straight to the fun part of the evening."_

_"Aren't you?" she asked, giving him a sultry look._

_"I can't wait to get you out of this dress," he said as his eyes grew dark. "Just tell me one thing – do I have to undo each of those buttons?"_

_YN burst out laughing as the crowd around them looked on in wonder. They all knew Tony, so she was sure they all thought he'd said something risqué – which he had – but at least it wouldn't come as a shock to them. She hadn't been joking when she'd told him she was ready to leave the reception. She hated being the center of attention and right now every eye in the place was on her and her new husband._

_Her new husband._

_A giddy sensation flowed through her as she let that thought filter through her mind a few more times. She was a married woman. She was married to the love of her life, the man who not only made her the happiest woman in the world, but also the one that made her the angriest. It was healthy to disagree with one's significant other, right? Especially when they were always able to talk about their issues and come to an agreement before anything was said that couldn't be taken back. She knew that life with Tony wasn't going to be easy, but sometimes easy was no fun at all. And she wanted her life to be fun._

_After what had seemed like hours, they'd finally been able to slip away from the reception and make a mad dash to their hotel room. The flight that would take them to their honeymoon destination didn't leave until the morning, so they'd decided to get a room at the hotel near the airport. Their families were either going back to their homes or staying at a hotel closer to the reception hall, so they weren't worried about running into anyone they knew once they made their getaway._

_Once Tony had unlocked the door to the room, he'd swung it open and turned around to scoop her up in his arms. She threw back her head and let out a laugh as he carried her over the threshold._

_"Put me down before you hurt your back," she said once he'd kicked the door shut behind him._

_He did as she asked, but as soon as her feet hit the ground, he had her back against the door as he pinned her against it with his body. His mouth was hot and hungry against hers as his hand began to roam up and down her body._

_"I've been dying to get my hands on you all day," he growled as one hand snaked up under the hem of her gown to glide over her already fevered flesh._

_"You and me both," she said in between kisses as she began to loosen the knot of his bow tie._

_They were in a frenzy as they struggled to remove the unfamiliar formal wear. There was lots of cursing and laughing as buttons and zippers refused to give way fast enough to suit them. When Tony realized that he did indeed have to undo every single button running down her back, he leaned his forehead between her shoulder blades and let out a sigh._

_"Having problems?" she asked over her shoulder._

_"I take it back."_

_"Take back what?"_

_"I hate this dress," he told her as his fingers began working the oversized satin buttons through the tight holes. "I'm burning this dress as soon as I get it off of you."_

_She reached behind her and swatted at him. "No you will not. I want to keep this dress. Someday our daughter might want to wear this on her wedding day."_

_He leaned forward and kissed her bare shoulder where the half-unbuttoned dress had already started to gape. "You want to have a daughter?"_

_"Don't you?" she asked as she turned her head again to meet his gaze._

_"One of each would be fine with me."_

_"Well, you'd better get me out of this dress so we can get started on that straight away."_

_"Yes, ma'am," he said as he went back to working on the buttons._

_By the time he'd finally rid her of the frothy white devil she'd been wearing, Tony was exhausted. But then he saw what she was wearing under the dress and his vigor suddenly returned with a vengeance. If she'd looked like a dream when she'd been wearing the dress, she looked like something out of a fantasy out of it._

_Wearing nothing more than a few scraps of white lace with garters holding up her stockings, YN was, in his mind, the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. She went to toe off her shoes, but he stopped her._

_"Leave them on," he told her as his voice began to grow deeper with desire._

_She gave him a look, but did as he asked. Taking a step closer to him, she stared straight into his eyes as she began to finish unbuttoning his shirt. She'd been interrupted when he'd spun her around to begin working on the buttons of her dress and now it was her turn to undress him._

_Tony was desperate to get his hands on her again, but there was something to be said about having a half naked woman undress him with both her eyes and her hands. When her hands finally made contact with his bare skin, he thought he would die right there on the spot. It was by no means their first time making love, but there wasn't something different – something special – about this time._

_He'd finally had to stop her once she'd gotten to the zipper of his pants. His body was as taut as a wire and he knew it would only take one touch of her hand to send him straight over the edge and he had plans for this night. Grasping her hands in his, he brought them to his lips as he kissed the knuckles of each before taking a step back to finish undressing._

_With a devious smile, she turned and headed toward the bed in the center of the room. Sitting on the edge, she crossed her legs and leaned back on her elbows to wait for him to rid himself of the rest of his clothes. Seeing her act so wantonly was a heady sensation, and one he could definitely get used to._

_Once he'd finally finished, he began sauntering toward the bed and his new bride. Placing a hand on either side of her hips, he leaned over and captured her mouth with his. He felt her legs shift and before he knew what she was doing, she'd wrapped them around his waist. With a groan, he fought the sudden onslaught of sensations she was eliciting within him as she brought her body flush against his._

_"YN. . ."_

_She shook her head as she placed a finger against his lips. "Now, Tony."_

_"We don't have to be in a hurry. . ."_

_"We've got all week to take things slow," she reminded him as she began to run her hands down the length of his torso cause him to inhale sharply. "I've been wound up all day long watching you strut around in that tuxedo, and I feel like I'm going to spontaneously combust if we wait any longer. Look at me and tell me you don't feel the same way."_

_Tony closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against her. "I love you."_

_"That's what I thought," she said smugly before she kissed him again._

 

When the soft knock sounded on the door, YN jumped as her hand flew to her chest to contain her rapidly beating heart. She'd allowed herself to get lost in the memory of her and Tony and her whole body felt flushed. Taking a few deep breaths she willed herself to come back to reality before she rose and went to the door.

"Were you asleep?" Wanda asked once YN had opened the door.

"Not yet, sweetie. Is something wrong?"

Wanda shrugged. "No, I just wasn't sleepy. I thought I'd grab a bowl of ice cream and thought you might like one, too."

YN smiled as she wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders and began leading her to the kitchen. Wanda had always had a sweet tooth as a child, and it had become of habit of theirs to creep into the kitchen late at night for ice cream or cake. Nat had seemed to have some type of internal radar for when YN and Wanda were sneaking sweets and inevitably showed up before they were finished. YN would always have a plate or bowl ready for her and the three of them would sit at the table in the dark and giggle while they ate their contraband desserts.

As they fixed their ice cream sundaes, YN felt a sense of peace that some things would never change. She'd known when she and Tony had divorced that life as she knew it would cease to exist, but it was harder to give up some habits than it was others. Her late night snacks with the girls had been one of the traditions that she'd missed the most. 

Although neither of them said anything, they both knew they were missing Nat's company, so when they heard the front door quietly open, they turned to one another and began to laugh. Without missing a beat, YN reached into a cabinet for another bowl and began to fix Nat a sundae.

Nat heard the giggling coming from the kitchen and immediately knew what her mother and sister were up to. Making her way to the kitchen, she leaned against the doorframe of the darkened room and crossed her arms. "Seriously?"

"I made you a bowl," YN said as she handed it toward Nat.

"Like I would have let you get away with leaving me out," she huffed as she took the dish and walked toward the table. "Aren't we a little old for midnight snacks?"

"You may be, but I'm definitely not," Wanda teased as she spooned a bite of ice cream into her mouth.

As the girls began to bicker playfully, YN sat back and ate her ice cream in silence. It was times like this that she was glad Tony had talked her into adopting both of them so many years ago. She and he may not have been able to make things work between them, but at least they'd gotten one thing right in their life together. 

Her mind flitted back to the memory she'd been rehashing a little bit ago, and she allowed herself a moment of sadness as she thought about all she'd lost over the years. Not for the first time she tried to figure out where things had gone wrong, but it was no use. She and Tony had grown apart so slowly there was no way to pinpoint the exact moment when it had all fallen apart. Pushing down the melancholy feelings, she focused her attention back on the girls. There was no use dwelling on the past when her future was sitting right in front her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Thank you for reading Part 3 of this story! It may be a while before Tony and Reader find themselves in a precarious position, but at least we have flashbacks of the past to ease our frustrations!  What did you think of Wanda's idea to create her own wedding dress using pieces from her mother's?  It seemed like something Wanda would do, and it gave me an excuse to have the Reader remember the last time she'd worn that dress. . . I love the relationship she has with both of the girls and I can't wait to delve deeper into the past so we can see what things were like for them all in the beginning. I look forward to your comments!_

**Author's Note:**

> _Thank you for reading Part 1 of this story! We've finally made it to Tony's part of the Saga! I'm so excited, but also kind of sad that this is the final part of the Saga. What did you think of the Reader so far?  I realize that some of you may have a hard time imagining that you're actually Wanda and Nat's mom, but I hope that doesn't discourage you from reading this story!  Our Reader seems really excited about this upcoming wedding, but let's face it, who doesn't love Vis?  Did you like the subtle mention of Jarvis and Ana?  I thought it was fitting.  Then there was that flashback to her own proposal from Tony!  Wasn't that so romantic?  It makes you wonder what could have gone so wrong to drive them apart!  Don't worry, though, you'll find out soon enough!   I look forward to your comments!_


End file.
